Discovering Us
by YouOnlyNeedTaijutsu
Summary: Gaara does not want or, for that matter, need anyone. But Rock Lee seems to just keep showing up, embedding himself into Gaara's schedule one moment of their lives at a time with that stupid smile. Until Gaara begins to think maybe...they aren't so different, and maybe someone like Lee might be just what could fix his cold vision of reality. AU. Shonen Ai.
1. A Conversation In Technicolour

Discovering Us

Chapter 1: A Conversation in Technicolour

**A/N: ****Why hello there. I'm YouOnlyNeedTaijutsu and this is my first Naruto fanfiction. I do not own Naruto, and it's probably a good thing I don't because if I did. Gay. Gay everywhere. Pairing is Lee and Gaara. Don't like. Don't read. Flames will be used to toast marshmallows. ^_^ ktnxbai.  
**

The afternoon sun glowed gold through the trees and houses, and the breeze rustled through the green grass. The sky above was a musky lavender and the flowers that grew from the ground were a snowy white-all of these colours danced together-a terrific symphony, but they were all about to be dyed grey. The sun had retreated behind some clouds a little while ago and Gaara could smell it in the air. The sky was about to burst. He shifted his bag on his back and rested his eyes on the concrete path. If he got home quickly, then he could avoid the rain, Gaara much preferred dry weather.

It was getting colder, Gaara was greatful for his maroon sweater and grey jeans, not the most stylish combination but it was comfortable and warm and helped him to disappear. His thoughts were just beginning to distract him from the mundane features of the earth when a voice chirped behind him.

"It is lovely weather we are having. Do you not think so, Gaara-san?"

Gaara turned his head slightly and glared over his shoulder at this individual, who was so painfully different from Gaara that it made him slightly uncomfortable. The every energetic, track and field over achiever and martial arts superstar of the school-Rock Lee- just gave grin and awaited a reply.

"I do not," Gaara rasped more than he spoke. He wished to be alone, he'd gone this long without bothering for more than the minimum of social interactions…it wasn't about to change now, not for some fool with a bad haircut.

But Lee was persistant. He quickened his pace until he was walking next to Gaara. The latter of the two glanced around the trees, which the path wound through, perhaps he would find a solution for escape within their branches. Before Gaara could formulate a plan, Rock Lee was speaking again, "How are you fitting in to this school? You have been here for a little while already…but I have not seen you with many people."

It was true, he'd been at this new school for some time and had failed to make anything more than some acquaintances. Gaara didn't mind. He didn't want anyone. He didn't exist in order to attain relationships with others.

Gaara looked at the boy, who wore a green t shirt and black cargo pants and seemed to walk with some sort of purpose, what that purpose was, Gaara had no idea. "If you're offering me your friendship. I don't want it." Yes, perfect. Now, from what he had gathered of Rock Lee from the few weeks he'd been at this high school, he would slink back embarrassed and leave Gaara alone.

"Good because I was not offering you anything," Lee shrugged and continued to walk alongside him. Gaara spent a few moments silently wishing he had the ability to leave his own body, when he came to, Lee was still talking, "And it is great, because it means I will have to attend the state wide championships. I am a fast runner…but not the fastest. Do you have things you enjoy and are good at, Gaara-san?"

Gaara exhaled through his nostrils. Was scaring people away a talent? Well then, "No." He told the pavement.

Lee said nothing. How was he supposed to reply to something like that? Gaara was cold. Lee didn't think he liked it much, while he knew that most people weren't as enthusiastic as himself he had trouble comprehending how someone could be so half hearted about, seemingly, everything around him.

Both of the boys looked up as tiny wet beads fell onto their skin. Finally Gaara's weather forecast had been proven correct. The strange creature beside him smiled, "I will speak to you again tomorrow, I have to go or I will be late for my taijutsu class!" He flicked his hand in a wave and raced off down the path, leaving Gaara behind. He was gone, just as soon as he had arrived, and he'd taken all of his positive energy with him. All that remained was Gaara and the grey rain.

The red haired boy frowned in the direction that Lee had run. What a strange person, it was hard to believe he had friends at all. Gaara could not work out what he could have wanted with him. He was so friendly, actually treating Gaara like he was an equal. He scoffed on that thought for a moment then waved it on. He continued walking, sooner or later he would be home, if he didn't drown in this cold rain first. He hugged his sweater around himself, Gaara was waiflike for a seventeen year old boy. Most boys his age had developed muscles and made some progress into becoming men Gaara, had grown but remained pale and fragile looking. The only real colour to his being was his spikey bloodshot hair and his aqua coloured eyes, always surrounded with thick black eyeliner. He turned his face down from the rain and watched his black and white lace ups as he walked.

It was Thursday, meaning he had school tomorrow as well, he had little interest in school, he had little interest in anything really. He was smart, he thought it was pointless, if he didn't already know something, then there was a good chance he would never need it at all. However, there was a lot of things he didn't know. Most of those things, were knowledge that supposedly came naturally to human beings, not for Gaara, he was to remain clueless on the sidelines, while everyone else engaged in, apparently, natural behaviour. It didn't matter. He didn't mind.

The rain was getting heavier, it was speckling the pavement darker at a fast rate, as well as soaking into his hair and, if he didn't get out of it soon, his sweater. His mind was desperately trying to creep away from this rain; this reality, but he pulled it back together and began to walk faster, his house wasn't far now. He inwardly cursed Rock Lee for slowing him down, if it hadn't been for that idiot he'd have been home long ago.

**A/N: Okay! There's the first chapter. Not as long as I'd like, but eh. _ **

**I think I did an alright job with keeping them in character, please tell me if you have any advice.  
Thank you for reading and please leave a review ^(^w^)^ **


	2. A Contemplation

Discovering Us  
Chapter 2: A Contemplation

**A/N: Okay, second chapter, let's go! I don't own Naruto and I'm not making any money from this work of fiction-actually, I'm not making any money from anything. I don't even have a job. **

**(-_-)**

"Ah! Shikamaru-Kun! Have you seen Naruto?" The always slightly too loud, voice of Rock Lee asked, an urgency within his tone.

Shikamaru Nara looked up from where he was laying beneath a tree, beside him was an open bento box, barely touched. Above him were white wisps of cloud that he had been watching, "Eh? Naruto?" he thought for a moment.

Lee nodded.

"No. But I can guess where he is," Shika rolled his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow.

Lee brushed down his shirt and clenched his fists as if he were about to receive important information.

"Well," Shikamaru spoke slowly, stopping to pick up his chopsticks and stuff a riceball in his mouth.

"Well?"

Shikamaru chewed. "I saw him earlier, this morning, with Sasuke. So he's probably with him now."

Lee smiled and bowed his head, "Arigatou, Shikamaru-kun! Do you know where I could find them?"

Shikamaru smiled a little, at Lee's innocent face, completely trusting. He looked at him, "Y'know, I could direct you to one of the storage cupboards in the hall, or maybe behind the sheds on the far outskirts of the school…but trust me, probably better if you don't seek them out."

"Eh? Why is tha—" Lee began, then slowly the realisation creeped onto his face turning him pink, "Oh."

Shikamaru laughed softly, "Yeah. Oh, Lee, have you seen Choji?"

Lee frowned, "No, I have not. Why?"

"He went to buy a packet of chips, ten minutes ago and he's still not back," Shikamaru replied, then muttered something about how Choji had probably bought out the whole shop and then passed out on the concrete somewhere from trying to eat them all.

"I will mention that you want him, if I see him. Ah…I will see you later, Shikamaru," Lee nodded and walked away. How embarrassing. Sometimes, Lee really hated himself for being so innocent. He supposed it was perfectly normal for Naruto and Sasuke to want to lock themselves in a cupboard and…do…well, whatever it was they were doing, he didn't really want to think about it. Yes, perfectly normal. It just seemed strange to him because he'd never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend for that matter.

He decided that finding Naruto to ask if he'd done yesterdays math homework was unimportant. He made his way across the concrete of the school to where he sat.

"Lee," a voice spoke. Neji Hyuuga.

"Neji-Kun. What is it?" Lee stopped, feeling overpowered by the milky glare emanating from Neji. Lee was tall and confident looking, but Neji was still very threatening. Lee wasn't sure, but he thought it was something to do with the way he stood, as well as those eyes of his.

"Uh…have you seen Shikamaru?" Neji scratched the back of his neck, behind his long brown ponytail.

"Yep, I was just talking to him," Lee pointed towards the direction he'd come from smiled at Neji.

The Hyuuga gave a small nod and walked in that direction.

Rock Lee never made it back to his group that lunchtime, because at that moment he became distracted. Sidetracked. By the red haired boy a few metres away, leaning against the fence and staring out at the world.

"Gaara-san?" Lee spoke once he had walked over to where the shorter teenage boy was standing.

Silence was his reply.

Lee frowned a little, looking at Gaara's face, "Are you sad?"

"No," The response came quickly and was quiet.

The taller of the two, leaned against the fence alongside Gaara and joined him in his staring out at the road, trees, buildings-the rest of the world, out side of the safety of the school grounds.

"Leave me alone," Gaara's eyes did not move from the pale blue horizon of the sky.

"I am not interacting with you. I am just standing here," Lee shrugged. He looked over at Gaara, there was something about him. Lee didn't know what it was…but he felt like he should be standing here, next to this stranger that he knew nothing about. More importantly, he felt like he should be speaking to Gaara, but he didn't know what to say, "Would you like to hang out tomorrow? We could get lunch, maybe." His vice came out a little more hopeful and a little less confident than he would have liked. Overnight, he had decided that he wanted to make Gaara his friend. Gaara didn't seem to have any at all. Lee thought that everyone needed at least one friend. So why shouldn't he be Gaara's?

Gaara didn't say anything. But his mind was screaming a thousand different reactions to what had just been said. He didn't even know this guy. They had a couple of classes together, other than that the only way he knew Lee at all was because he was always being called up on assembly to be given some new sports award. Sometimes, Gaara suspected that the HPE teacher was just making these awards up, after all, Lee was his star student. Gaara silently wished he'd brought his earphones to school, at least then he could look preoccupied. He turned his head a little and looked at Rock Lee. He was wearing another green shirt, lime today, green seemed a popular choice with this boy, his hair was shiny, like it had just been washed that morning and there was an orange sweatband around his wrist. He'd probably done 50 laps around the school oval this morning just for a laugh. What a freak.

"No. I wouldn't."

Lee's shoulders did not fall in defeat, nor did he turn and walk away, he shrugged and smiled at Gaara. "Alright."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at this gesture that seemed to be directed right at him. What did this guy want with him? At his last school, no one had ever bothered to approach him, let alone invite him somewhere. What was he meant to say? He had had to refuse. Even if he had wanted to go…Gaara didn't know how to say yes.

He exhaled slowly. Lee was still there. Just standing there, with him, saying nothing. He wanted to tell him to leave. He didn't bother. It probably wouldn't work anyway. He put his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and put his eyes back to the horizon that he had been monitoring.

Lee's last class of the day was math, he walked out of it, grabbed his bag from the hook it was hanging on outside of the classroom and was about to leave when someone tugged on the shoulde r of his shirt. "Bushy brow!"

Naruto was standing there, wearing a grin, and he seemed to have some sort of attachment in the form of Sasuke, playing with the fingers of one of his hands and occasionally leaning closer to whisper into his ear.

Lee cringed at the nick name, "My name is Rock Lee, just call me that…" he began, then gave up, Naruto would never listen, "What is it?" he asked, trying to ignore the fact that Naruto appeared to be blushing at whatever it was Sasuke was saying.

Naruto scoffed, "I should be asking you the same thing! What was that, in there?!"

Lee raised an eyebrow, "Math?"

"No! That creepy pale guy! Staring at you, all lesson, like he was gonna kill ya! You better watch out, Lee," Naruto explained.

Lee frowned. Creepy pale guy? He was going to ask who it was, but Naruto was being dragged away by his boyfriend. Lee sighed, for two guys that had claimed to be rivals a year ago, they had become alarmingly close. Creepy pale guy, his mind repeated. He felt his eyes grow even wider than usual when he realised. Gaara.

Gaara was definitely what Naruto would refer to as 'creepy'. Lee felt bad, Gaara was probably angry at him…he probably felt insulted that Lee had interacted with him. He had the feeling that Gaara probably hated pity. Of course, he had not been talking to Gaara because he pitied him. No, it was not pity he felt for Gaara.

X

"Are you sure, you would not like to hang out tomorrow?"

Gaara turned, it was the same person that had annoyed him on his walk home yesterday, he could have sworn he was standing on the same space of the path as yesterday as well, "I'm sure. Go away."

Lee walked alongside of him, lost in thought as to what to say next.

Gaara let his eyes look at the person beside him, he was so different to Gaara. He seemed so happy and enthusiastic. So alive. Maybe he wasn't so bad…Gaara wasn't sure. He didn't want to hate this boy. But…how was he meant to show that he liked him at all? If he did, he would become weak. Gaara did not want that. Plus…why would someone like Gaara like someone like Rock Lee? It just didn't make any sense, still there was a tiny part of him, that didn't mind.

Lee walked with him, but he didn't speak again. He was thinking. Over the past two days he had been trying his best to be friendly. He had approached Gaara with an innocent topic-the weather- and attempted to befriend him, but it seemed to be getting nowhere. The red head was having none of it.

"Lee! Wait for me!" Lee turned around to see a pink haired girl waving and running towards him.

"Hey, Sakura-kun," Lee smiled. Gaara watched him smile and frowned to himself.

"Lee did you understand the math homework?" Sakura asked, she sounded distressed.

"Yeah, more or less," Lee gave a nod, "Why? Do you need help?"

Sakura smiled gratefully, "I do. I don't understand any of it."

"Well, I am not busy this afternoon, I can give you some help…and if you still need it afterwards, I am not doing anything tomorrow either," The black haired boy told her, very happy to be of assistance.

Sakura smiled back at him, "Thanks, that would be great. I'd ask Sasuke, but well you know."

Lee nodded. The two of them now walked together, chatting happily.

Gaara stood still and watched after them. He felt cold, empty, like a shell. The way he grinned at her, the way he spoke to her, like he was so happy to be around her. It made Gaara wonder and it made him think. Was that the same smile that Lee gave him? Could it be true? Did Rock Lee really want to be his friend?

The weekend had begun, this would give Gaara two days to consider this possibility. He told himself, to use it to his advantage. He imagined what It would be like having Rock Lee for a friend. Probably irritating at first…but possibly not as horrific as he had thought twenty-four hours ago. Was that what he wanted? He was now at war with himself. Gaara had been isolated from everyone but his older brother and sister for so long, that one side of his mind did not want to accept this new person, but the other…wanted to know more about him. It wanted to speak to him and ask him things and be near him.

Gaara had suppressed that side of himself for so long…that he had honestly thought it had died of. He was quite shocked at its reappearance. Gaara was not full of hatred, as many people thought…more like confusion and curiousity at the world around him. This world that had always been there, but that he was so reluctant to reach out and touch, that it just seemed to march right by him.

**A/N: Yay. Okay, as always, please tell me if you see anything that desperately needs fixing or you have any advice. Reviewers will receive a free gourd full of candy. Thanks for reading. **


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